An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus transmits ultrasound waves to the inside of a subject using an ultrasound probe, and acquires organism information of the subject by receiving the reflected waves.
Ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses are used in examinations of various body sites. In these examinations of body sites, different examination conditions are applied in each case. Examination conditions refer to various conditions that are selectively applied based on the examination type (examination sites and examination details). Examples of examination conditions include image quality conditions and applications, etc. Examination conditions are set in advance, and are also referred to as “pre-sets”.
Image quality conditions (image quality pre-sets) are parameters for adjusting the image quality of ultrasound images being displayed. Examples include gains in received signals, dynamic range, input-output relations for brightness modulation, raster counts for raster smoothing processes, frame counts for frame smoothing processes, sound pressure of transmitted ultrasound, transmission frequency, repetition frequency, frame rate, and scan sequences, etc.
Applications (application pre-sets) are application software that are selectively used according to the examination type. Examples include applications for cardiac examinations, applications for fetal examinations, and examination protocols, etc. Applications for cardiac examinations are used to analyze the size (area, volume, length, etc.) and wall motion, etc. of a heart during a cardiac examination. Applications for fetal examinations are used to analyze the size and cardiac function of a fetus during an examination of a pregnant female. Examination protocols define examination procedures and setting conditions according to the workflow of an examination, and may be set for each hospital or each physician.
Image quality conditions for obtaining good images differ depending on the ultrasound probe being used and the examination type. Applications are also used selectively according to the examination type, etc. In conventional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatuses, by preparing tables associating examination types with pre-sets, pre-sets are used selectively according to the examination type designated by the examiner at the start of an examination.
In ultrasound examinations, multiple body sites may be examined. In such a case, the examiner re-selects a pre-set each time the examined region is changed. This reduces the efficiency of the examination.
Thus, it is intended to provide with an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus that enables multiple body sites to be examined efficiently.